Hyderabad: ROP is a blinding disorder that occurs in premature infants born at or before 34 weeks and weighing less than 2000gms. It afflicts the eyes of preterm babies that have typically received specialised neonatal care that is oxygen therapy. Though oxygen therapy helps to save a preterm’s life, it can severely affect their eye development. Preterm babies with more severe disease can develop impaired vision or even blindness. Dr GVS Murthy, Principal Investigator for a pilot initiative on ROP, sheds light on the status in India and how our policy makers need to gear to tackle this epidemic.